Page 58 of Protection for Nichole

“I’ll reply,” Sharp said as he started typing something. “I can’t wait to get my big dick in?—”

“Give it!” Jay didn’t want that to be his reply.

Sharp chuckled. “That’s not what I typed. Here, read it.”

His buddy had typed out,I love you, too, and you’re making me the happiest man in the world. Jay liked what he’d typed and hit send.

“You’re a pain, Sharp.”

“Sure am. Now then, we should probably let you get some sleep.”

Griz stood from the couch. “I’m sober, I’ll drive everyone home.”

“You really sober?” Shine asked.

“Sure am. I stopped drinking alcohol two hours ago. Before then, I hadn’t drank much.”

“Well, Griz is driving us all,” Shine called out.

Jay thanked the guys for coming to hang out with him. They hadn’t been a team for long, but they’d come together like brothers. He really appreciated them all.

After the gang had cleared out and it was just him and Sharp, he dropped to the couch, running his hands over his face.

“You doing okay?” Sharp asked.

He opened one eye, trying to focus on his buddy. “I drank too much.”

“Drink a big cup of water now and get some sleep. We’ll make sure you’re okay in the morning.”

“I was having such a great time with you guys. It was awesome. Thanks for arranging that.”

“Sure, buddy. You’re going to be so happy with Nichole. I can tell you really care about her.”

He stood and stretched, trying to keep his balance. “I do.” When he took a step, he had to reach out to steady himself. “She’s going to be mad if I show up drunk.”

“Water.”

“Yes, Dad.” Sharp laughed and led him into the kitchen, where he made Jay drink water and eat some crackers and cheese.

When he lay down, he smiled to himself and grabbed his phone off the charger, pulling up the text from Nichole. He wanted her to wake up to his words. He started typing and must have drifted off because he woke with his phone on his chest and Sharp calling his name.

Jay sat up, worried that he’d overslept. His phone was dead because he hadn’t returned it to the charger.

“Shit. What time is it?”

Sharp pushed the door open and came in with a glass of water. “Drink this. You’ve got time. I set my alarm early.”

“Shit. Gotta pee.”

He raced into the bathroom and heard Sharp still in his room. After he finished, he stepped out into the bedroom, panic filling him.

“Fuck, how late am I?”

“You aren’t. You said you wanted to be up at eight twenty, and it’s eight fifteen.”

“Thank God I have you in my corner.”

“I put your phone on the charger. Drink this water. You need to piss out the rest of the alcohol.”

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